It is known to guide a pipe coming from a tank of an automobile to a receptacle at a body panel which, in turn, is adapted to be inserted in an opening of the body panel. The receptacle may be moulded from plastic material and may contain valves for allowing fuel overflow or venting of excess gas pressure in the tank. In such a structure, the opening in the automotive body is adapted to be closed by an appropriate lid. The lid may be lockable with the locked position being releasable from inside the vehicle. For example, automatic unlocking may be effected when the vehicle is stopped, but is not key-locked yet. The lid may also be locked by means of a central locking mechanism.
It has also been proposed to provide a valve, which is alternately opened or closed, in the automotive body between the tank pipe and the opening. When closed, the valve blocks the connection between the pipe and the automotive body opening, whereas, when open it releases a through passage between the opening and the pipe, through which a fuel gun may be introduced. Such a construction has the advantage that a lid is no longer required on the automotive body. The lid is susceptible of being torn off readily and also is an obstacle in automatic filling. In the case described, the valve member is constituted by a sphere having a passage with the sphere being pivotally supported about an axis, for example, through 90.degree. in order to interconnect the openings in the opened position and to block them from each other in the closed position. A sphere also helps in obtaining sufficient sealing against dust and splash-water. The valve receptacle in which the sphere is supported may be made of plastic material and may be breakably attached to the automotive body so that the valve receptacle may be released in an accident and fuel prevented from exiting.
It is an object of the invention to create an automotive fuel filler pipe valve assembly which enables an automatic opening and closing of the tank filler pipe, which is automatically locked in the closed position.